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The United States Navy Memorial

Navy Memorial Honoring the Men & Women of the Sea Services

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Drexler

Ship Designation: 
DD-741
Date Lost: 
Monday, May 28, 1945
Kamikaze Attacks near Okinawa
While operating as a radar picket off Okinawa, Drexler was attacked at 0700 by two kamikazes. ... The combined firepower of Lowry (DD 770) and Drexler successfully knocked down the first attacking aircraft. The second aircraft glanced into Drexler cutting off power and starting a large gasoline fire. ... Despite the damage, Drexler kept firing and splashed three more attacking aircraft that had entered the area. ... At 0730 another kamikaze crashed into Drexler’s superstructure which was quickly followed by a tremendous explosion. The ship quickly rolled over on her starboard side and sank stern first in less than a minute after being hit. ... 168 of the crew died and another 52 were seriously wounded.

Lost At Sea Log

Number of sailors in this log: 158

Name Service Branchsort descending
TM 3c Eugene Louquet USN
F 1c James Moore USN
TM 1c Robert Furno USN
Sea 2c Charles Smoot USN
EM 3c Eugene Oliver USN
Sea 2c David Swiney USN
F 1c Edward Winston USN
F 1c George Amburgey USN
F 1c Dennis Cartwright USN
Bkr 3c John King USN
Sea 1c James Littlejohn USN
Lt Eugene Hicks USN
F 1c Donald Desenberg USN
Sea 1c Ralph Sipes USN
Bkr 2c Francis Osborne USN
MM 2c Thomas Sullivan USN
MM 2c Thomas Wood USN
Sea 1c Delmor Bailey USN
Cox Gaetano Caruso USN
CEM Louis Kincade USN

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Prepared by CAPT R.O. Strange USN (Ret.)